At least 30 injured as car drives into crowd in Munich

At least 30 people, including children, were injured on Thursday when a car drove into a crowd in Munich, southern Germany, on the eve of a high-level security conference.

Police said the driver, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, was arrested at the scene of what Bavaria's state governor Markus Soeder called a "suspected attack". A motive has not yet been established.

Some of the victims were seriously hurt. "We truly hope that they all make it," Mr Soeder said. The car drove into a rally organised by trade union Verdi on a day of public sector strikes in Munich and Germany. One shot was fired at the vehicle after it accelerated into the crowd from behind while trying to overtake a police car.

A police spokesman told The National that about 100 officers were on the scene after the collision occurred at about 10.30am local time. "In addition to us, the fire brigade and rescue service are also on duty. The driver of the vehicle is currently secured, so we have no indication that they pose any further danger," the spokesman said.

The apparent attack comes 10 days before a German election, with security and immigration key campaign themes after a spate of violent incidents involving asylum seekers. Mr Soeder, a conservative, called it "further proof" that "something has to change in Germany".

Some of the international delegation attending the Munich Security Conference, which is due to start in the city on Friday, had already arrived and were securing their places in hotels around the city. International journalists were immediately on the scene. US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were arriving later on Thursday. Mr Vance is scheduled to deliver an address on Friday to the annual conference, where war in Europe and Nato members' defence spending will be discussed.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the attacker should expect to be deported after any legal action was taken care of, as he promised further deportations to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Authorities said the attacker was known to police for drugs offences and theft.

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said the trade union rally was probably a random target. A prosecutors’ department that investigates extremism and terrorism cases was looking into the incident.

The car involved appeared to be a white Mini. The incident happened on Dachauer Strasse, the longest street in Munich, which is very close to the main central station, and about 1.5km from the security conference venue. A large cordon has been placed around the scene, but traffic elsewhere in the city was moving.

Police said at least 30 people were injured. Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter said children were among those hurt. Fire service spokesman Bernhard Peschke said several of the victims were seriously injured "and some of them are in a life-threatening condition".

The Verdi union was holding a one-day strike as part of a pay dispute involving kindergarten workers. Verdi boss Frank Werneke said: "This is a difficult moment for all our colleagues. As unions we stand for solidarity and togetherness, not least in a dark hour such as this."

In a statement on Thursday, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the car-ramming incident. It expressed its rejection of all forms of violence against innocent people and aimed at undermining security, as well as expressing its solidarity with the people of Germany.